Presser bar unit for sewing machines

ABSTRACT

A presser bar unit for a sewing machine has a presser foot assembly pivotally mounted on a presser bar and carrying two presser feet such that either presser foot can be moved into operating position. A slidable locking member on the presser bar locks the assembly in a selected position, and unlocks the assembly for pivotal movement of the other presser foot into operating position. The two presser feet preferably extend outwardly from the assembly at a 90* angle to each other. The assembly is mounted in a forked end of the presser bar, and includes lugs which are selectively embraced by the sliding lock.

United States Patent Oda PRESSER BAR UNIT FOR SEWING MACHINES Apr. 15,1975 875,626 12/1907 Parkes 112/240 X Primary Examiner-Werner H.Schroeder Assistant Examiner-Peter Nerbun Attorney, Agent, orFirmLarson, Taylor & Hinds [57] ABSTRACT A presser bar unit for a sewingmachine has a presser foot assembly pivotally mounted on a presser barand carrying two presser feet such that either presser foot can be movedinto operating position. A slidable locking member on the presser barlocks the assembly in a selected position, and unlocks the assembly forpivotal movement of the other presser foot into operating po sition. Thetwo presser feet preferably extend out wardly from the assembly at a 90angle to each other. The assembly is mounted in a forked end of thepresser bar, and includes lugs which are selectively embraced by thesliding lock.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures rliib dr riii lave-arrow. a:

This invention-relates to presser bar units for sewing machines, and;particularly; to, such a unit havingtwo' presser fe jetniountedlonpresserbarand.selectively i head portion for easy gripping by anoperator. and a movableinto operating position.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY In general domestic or industrial sewingmachines, the presser foot is usually secured directly to the lower endof the presser bar. and is spring loaded so as to permit normal seamingregardless of the thickness of the cloth. However, when used in adifferent sewing process. such as hem stitching or rolled hemming. it isoften necessary to use an appropriately different presser foot.Generally the change of presser feet is accomplished manually byremoving one and mounting the other on the presser bar. This lowersproduction efficiency. and increases production cost.

The present invention is intended to provide a more efficientarrangement in which at least two presser feet are carriedsimultaneously by the presser bar. either of which may be quicklypivoted into operating position, whereby to avoid the need for manuallyremoving one and mounting the other. This purpose is accomplished by theexemplary embodiment shown in the appended drawings and described in theensuing description. but it will be understood that the invention is notlimited to the particular structural embodiment. which is susceptible ofvarious structural and functional modifications.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevation. partiallysectioned, showing an arrangement in accordance with the invention, asmounted on a conventional sewing machine apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation corresponding to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front elevation, partially in section. showing thearrangement in greater detail.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings, A designatespart of a conventional domestic or industrial sewing machine. Bgenerally designates the presser mechanism which is normally positionedupright and urged downwardly by a spring or the like (not shown) housedin the machine, C generally designates a needle bar movable verticallyby means of a needle bar crank (not shown) or the like located in themachine. D designates a conventional throat plate, E designates aconventional feed dog. and F indicates the cloth fed by the feedmechanism. More particularly, at the lower end of the presser bar 1(constituted by the lower end portion of the presser mechanism B) arefixed two presser feet X and Y. Presser feet X and Y are formed withnotched portions 2 and tapered slots or grooves 3 to facilitate theirmounting on a presser foot mounting body generally indicated at 5.Mounting body 5 is pivotally mounted by pivot pin in a slot la whichforms a forked lower end of presser bar 1, pivot pin 10 passing throughthe two spaced portions of the forked end and spanning the axial slottherebetween. Mounting body 5 has tapered portions 6 which conform withthe tapered grooves 3 of presser feet Xand Y. and the presser feet areremovably fixed to tapered portions 6 by screws 7, such that the mountedpresser feet and the mounted body 5 form a generally L-shaped 2configurationaMounting bodyjalso. includes. opposite eachtapered arm 6relative to pivot pin'ltl lugs 9 and 9 whichare movable ihtoandoutoftslot la upon pivoting of the assembly about pivot pin 10!. Aislidinglock member. generally designated 4,fis slidably'mounted on-thpres'ser:bar, and includes a' knu'rled'ring-shaped body portion 4hdepending downwardly therefrom, the body portin 4h being substantiallycylindrical but appropriately slotted to permit the pivoting movement ofthe mounting body 5, and formed with oblong holes or slots 4(- adjacentthe ends of pivot pin 10, these oblong holes permitting axial slidingmovement of locking member 4 relative to pivot pin 10 and the othercomponents. Lock member 4 is slidable vertically on the presser bar soas to embrace or clear the lugs 9 and 9 as indicated in FIG. 3.

The operation of the device will be apparent from the drawings and theforegoing description. Thus, with the mounting body 5 pivotally mountedin the forked lower end of presser bar 1, and carrying appropriatepresser feet X and Y, either presser foot may be moved into verticaloperative position, and locked therein by the action of lock member 4sliding downwardly to embrace the vertically opposite lug 9 or 9'. Whenit is desired to switch to the other presser foot, locking member 4 isslid vertically upwardly (arrow I) to the position shown in broken linesin FIG. 3, thus releasing the engagement between head portion 4a oflocking member 4 and lug 9 of mounting body 5. Mounting body 5 is thenpivoted in the direction of arrow [I about pivot pin 10 to the positionshown in broken lines and then locking member 4 is moved downwardly(arrow III) to the full line position so as to embrace and lock lug 9.The second presser foot, therefore, is in the normal opcrating position.and in each instance it will be noted that the nonoperative presser footis out of the way and does not obstruct the operators view.

Having thus described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I claim:

1. A presser bar unit for a sewing machine comprising a presser baraxially slotted at one end to form a forked end, a presser foot mountingbody extending into said slot and pivotally supported by a pivot pinpassing through the slotted end of the presser bar. said presser barcarrying two presser feet substantially normal to each other andextending outwardly from the mounting body in generally L-shapedconfiguration, such that either presser foot can be moved into operatingposition as the other is moved to a non-operating position throughpivotal movement of said presser mounting body, said mounting bodyincluding two lugs projecting outwardly therefrom substantiallyoppositely from said two presser feet relative to said pivot pin suchthat each lug will lie in the axial slot of said presser bar when itsopposite presser foot is in the operating position. and means forselectively locking said assembly with either presser foot in operatingposition. said locking means comprising a locking member slidablymounted on said presser bar for movement between two positions wherein,in one position, it embraces and locks the lug which is located in theslot, and, in its other position, is located clear of the lug in theslot so as to permit pivoted movement of said mounting body toselectively lock said mounting body in either of two pivoted positionsin which respective ones of said presser feet are in operative position.said w a 3 locking member including ponioos'eneompauiogeods of saidpivot pin. llid portion: being axially aloneda'o as to permit axialmovement of the locking member relalive to said pivot pin.

1. Apparatus as elaimeilfin'clailn lyliereip said we feel are iemovfllymoualed'on said mounting

1. A presser bar unit for a sewing machine comprising a presser baraxially slotted at one end to form a forked end, a presser foot mountingbody extending into said slot and pivotally supported by a pivot pinpassing through the slotted end of the presser bar, said presser barcarrying two presser feet substantially normal to each other andextending outwardly from the mounting body in generally L-shapedconfiguration, such that either presser foot can be moved into operatingposition as the other is moved to a non-operating position throughpivotal movement of said presser mounting body, said mounting bodyincluding two lugs projecting outwardly therefrom substantiallyoppositely from said two presser feet relative to said pivot pin suchthat each lug will lie in the axial slot of said presser bar when itsopposite presser foot is in the operating position, and means forselectively locking said assembly with either presser foot in operatingposition, said locking means comprising a locking member slidablymounted on said presser bar for movement between two positions wherein,in one position, it embraces and locks the lug which is located in theslot, and, in its other position, is located clear of the lug in theslot so as to permit pivoted movement of said mounting body toselectively lock said mounting body in either of two pivoted positionsin which respective ones of said presser feet are in operative position,said locking member including portions encompassing ends of said pivotpin, said portions being axially slotted so as to permit axial movementof the Locking member relative to said pivot pin.
 2. Apparatus asclaimed in claim 1 wherein said presser feet are removably mounted onsaid mounting body.